The Dillon tribune., 1887-02-18
DIAMOND CUTTING.
THE WORK THAT IS DONE ev
THE JEWS OF AMsTERDAM


Eh' Dian,o',! Cutters AIT u to,,m,r.
ativcly Modern Onc-IIow the Work il
Carried Hn-A Tedious Proccs..cc,;s,,.
cr> at Their wheels.
III" Quarter oi .\nl>tcs,.,n inhabited
by tli: jew, IS curious, but ia rcspctt To
nra'ncsa contrast; unilvolUblr with the
rest OF the city. IL is visited principally
to see tho workshops Of the ,li:.,uonl cut.
tcrs which are near Jodcn Ertr ytyaut, il,
the vicinity Of tho port,,@ue7, sy,a-
go4>',c. These form one ol !Av leading
Industrial features Of tho Dutc', ,nrtropu.
lis. There are engaged in The business
forty merchants and proprietor; of c 1t.
TINS; and polishing works, ant. some TO-
900 persons in subordinate t;,,,,,itics.
! whom It mailtains, In co,uioy; or in lux
! ury. and to whom it is said tn ,r worth
over $50, ,O00,CO Nine thousand of the
10000 are Jews, that race having had
| from very distant time; cr. extraordinary
Ia!inity for this form Of wealth.
a COMPARATIVELY Monvp>: a,:r
It is strange tu think tn. the art Of
cutting the diamond, though the stone
itself hts been held precic:::: from Il
period which antedates history, should
! only have been discovered in tho Six
tccnth century. Before that time rough
diamonds only were uscd and those
were preferred which presented naturally
! q pyramidal figure, and which, were set
will! tn" point projecting. In 1876
Louis tic Bergucm discovered the art of
| cutting the stone and of polishing it with
its own dust. Then for the first time its
| true becnty was revealed. 1t has from
INN IN ~ S,,.
any one may see who examines models of
those most famous, but only two arc now
employed by skilful lapitlarics--thc rose
and the brilliant. The rose cutting is
| only for thin stones. 1t presents OH
ono side y pyramid OF triangular facets
| and ON the other q fiat aurfnce, to Ec hi,l-
den H., The mounting. The brilliant. ON
the contrary. presents Oh enc sid; Il il:t
surface, surrounded! by t.i.na, lar tac-
cts, aasl 'n the other Il pyrM.:l OF facets.
! intended 90 lc placed on,,.ly in t;n set
ting ar'i to reflect tho light,
! Most ct the diamond emitting and ,,ul.
| ishing establishments ar" j.. I"nn,rcn.
burger STRAIT, and unless one L::a n guide
llc iin,l:; The locality with di(licu!!y. Once
found, there is no trouble about seeing
the operations. The proprietor; are only
too gla: Ia receive VISITORS who ,;.ry be-
!
OF riy"li. in the business. The cOnci.
cryc conducts them through tho place.
receiving half 1iorin ~ ccnts) TOR the
service.
! now TNE WORK Is lONE
| The work is, carried on on several
floors, and the processes, though nice,
nrc simple, uniform and easily under
stood. The power IL supplied by /. hand
some steam engine in the basement in Il
very simple manner. BY means Of cogs
1t u transferred to upright shafts run
ming up through the different floors.
These have great horizontal pullies from
! which it il conveyed to the polishing
wheels ranged along the sides Of the
T''"lns. These arc also horizontal The
! first operation consists in dividing the
diamond as many times as is deemed nec-
cssa,y Technically this is called cleav-
! agc, and it is ono OF tho miracles Of ma
turc TINT the hardest substance known
is capable Of such minute separation.
! IL is the business Of the skiliul work
man to find the cleavage by following the
seams OF it's crystalline forms, which run
parallel to- the faces Ut a regular cctahe
! GrOn. Having found it he fixes the rough,
diamond on the end of u short stick, or
lnandrcl, by means of u cement which is
| easily softcncd by heat, but harelens
| quickly, holding the stone in its place
with the requisite tenacity Then by
the aid OF another diamond having q cut
ting edge and liked TO another mantlrel
in the same manner, hc traces II line
along the face Of the hard crystal. It Is
only necessary then to apply the edge of
! Il small sharp instrument to the line he
has traced, give q smart blow and the
diamond quickly separates at tho point
desired
!! The iirs, cutting Is done by u workman
! whose hands arc protected by thick
| gloves, who, having fixed two diamonds,
!"lmoHablv in the manner just described.
r1lbs them briskly together, which re-
| suits in giving tho form rose or the form
brilliant, according to the nature Of the
stone r the preference of the master.
These manipulations Of the diamond art,
performed over little boxes, that not a
particle OF the powder be lost. Tho men
engaged ii. it sit at u little table Or bench
adjacent IL the main room, whose ap-
iNrtcnances are I'll of the most primitive
description. The polishing is performed
| with great GXactitude. The horizontal
wheels or discs used for it aro of steel,
about !: foot in diameter. The lia,nond
dust i; mixed with oil before being ap-
piled. The diamond is firmly fixed in an
egg shaped piece Of lead in such u manner
that cnly the surface to be applied to the
disc IS exposed. To tn. lead is attached
Il sort Of stem or short handle, which is
taken by the polishcr hy means Of pair
OF pinccrs. When touched to the disc
the pinccrs arc held in.uovablc Wy two
! pieces Of iron. ono ct which presses it
firmly on on" side ana the other On tho
other.